John Drumm Cup 2017

The 52nd race for the John Drumm Memorial Cup takes place on 23rd April in Currow. Johnny Drumm as he was known, was from Tobermaing, he was a champion racing cyclist both on the road and grass track, he was also a champion ploughman and had won the All Ireland ploughing championship in Kilkenny in 1964. It was a terrible shock to locals who remember that tragic day fifty two years ago where Cordal, Castleisland and Kerry lost one of their sporting sons.

Looking back on the race for over half a century there are too many stories to tell here of great winners and competitors a tireless organising committee that always put on a great race in memory of Johnny Drumm.

The list of winners is a great collection of top cyclists who are all very proud of their achievement of adding their names to this impressive Cup

The first winner was Gene Mangan of Killorglin, who had won the Rás Tailteann in 1955 as well as All Ireland road and track championships. There were many more famous names to come – the Lonergan brothers, Johnny and Joe from Tipperary, Colm Nulty of Meath, John and Denis Mangan of Killorglin, Aidrian Byrne a Dublin based Garda, the 30th race in 1995 was won by German Patrick Rives Maye who was a student at the University of Limerick at the time and a former junior champion of West Germany, Séamas Kennedy of Meath and Dublin, Mick Cahill of Banteer, Bobby Power of Tipperary, John O’Sullivan of Kanturk, Batty Flynn and Jack Lacey of Kerry.

There was a unique result in 1972 when the event resulted in a dead heat between Limerick man Gearóid Costello and Anthony O’Halloran of Kerry.

John Blackwell, Billy Reidy and Paul Griffin won the race more than once to again keep the cup in Kerry but in recent years Corkmen Mick Fitzgerald, Richard Hooton and the in form Paidi O Brien have won it. Tipperary man Simon Ryan added the Drumm Cup victory to a very successful season in 2015 and will be aiming to win this race again for the Strata Reveloution Squad n 2017.

It has always been a race that cyclists really wanted to win and many competitors going on to be professionals with Sam Bennett winning the race three times and is now competing successfully with the worlds elite cyclists. Eddie Dunbar was second in 2014 and has since gone professional having his biggest win at the Tour of Flanders U23 recently. Michael O Loughlin is no stranger to the roads of Currow and maybe one day he could emulate his father in winning the race with Michael also now embarking on a professional career. The Aquablue squad will want to add this title and will include Kerrymen Sean Lacey in their team. The Kerry Clubs will also be to the fore on home roads. Cathal Moynihan always does well in Currow where he had his first victory as an A4 when he was a newcomer to the sport. Killarney will be lead by last years winner Eoin O Connell who along with his team mates are coming into the race in great form having had a great RAS Mumhan. These include Richard Maes and Conor Kissane to name a just two but any one of their squad is capable of victory. Other Kerry Clubs will also travel with a strong squads in their bid to win the cup with the likes of Manor West iBike, Killorglin, Lee Strand, Sliabh Luachra as well as the host club Currow also competing.

The route for this year’s race is the one which has been used for a number of years now which will start Currow Village, Ballybeg, Dromulton, Roche’s Cross, Castleisland(Garvey’s), Lisheenbawn to finish just before Currow Village. The underage will also be on the usual circuit.

The plan is that there will be racing from 11am until approximately 4.30pm on Sunday 23rd of April as all categories are catered for from Under 11s to our elite cyclists.

52nd Annual John Drumm Memorial Cup in Currow April 23rd 2017

Sign on opens for all Categories at 10am with the Underage racing starting at 11am and the Senior events at 1pm

Race HQ and Start is the Currow Hall with the finish being approx 800m on the Castleisland side of the circuit for the Senior Events